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In my interpretation of The War of the Worlds, the Martians attack hapless planet Earth not because they need water or are merely imperialistic, but in retaliation for us having sent El Brendel to their planet.Armed with the knowledge of the shtick El Brendel will force upon both his Martian and human viewers, when the 1930 science fiction musical comedy Just Imagine asks us to “just imagine,” it seems more of a chilling warning than a hopeful dream. Once you have experienced the comedic stylings of this one time vaudeville sensation, you will have no choice but to stare directly into the muzzle of that Martian heat ray, shrug, and admit that we’re really getting what we deserve. In fact, we’re probably getting off easy. Continue reading…

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Days after we rang in the New Year, I finished a year spent reading all of the Fantastic Four comics, from Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s earth-shattering first issue in 1961, which explained how four family members and friends were transformed by cosmic rays into super-powered adventurers, through the latest issues in 2015 by James Robinson and Leonard Kirk, in which those same four people are facing yet another trial that threatens their very existence. My reading included most of the related mini-series and secondary series, plus crossovers and event books (even though I have yet to read the entire run of Marvel Two-in-One, the long-running team-up book starring the idol o’ millions, the ever-lovin’ Thing).

As soon as I finished the epic run by writer Jonathan Hickman and various artists—the last run that I had not read in its entirety when it came out, much to my detriment—my first thought was, like a kid on a roller coaster, “I want to do it again!” I find myself with a profound love for these characters, even though I didn’t read them as a kid, coming to them only as an adult (and fairly recently at that). What is it about Reed Richards, the self-proclaimed Mr. Fantastic, whose body became as flexible as his scientific genius, while in the area of romance he remained as stiff as a board? Or Sue Storm Richards, the Invisible Woman (and Reed’s long-suffering partner), who transformed over the years from the perpetual hostage into the powerhouse of the team? What draws me to Johnny Storm, the Human Torch, who is the group’s Peter Pan while at the same time possessing awesome destructive power that he constantly struggles to keep under control? Or Ben Grimm, the Thing, whose focus on his rocky exterior blinds him to his inherent goodness and virtue, which his beloved (and literally blind) Alicia Masters can perceive all too well? Continue reading…

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Hasbro’s toy brand Transformers turned thirty last year. Children around the world have been hearing the Transformers’ story for decades, passed on by cartoons, comics, movies, and toys. It’s always the same, more or less. An alien race of transforming robots is at war, divided into two factions:
the villainous Decepticons, led by Megatron, and the heroic Autobots under Optimus Prime. Their battle takes them across the stars to Earth, where they use their abilities to disguise themselves as everyday vehicles.

Things are a little different these days, at least in some corners of the galaxy. In 2012, publisher IDW revamped its Transformers comics. Senior editor John Barber and his team replaced the central conceit of a never-ending interplanetary war with an uneasy peace between Autobots and Decepticons. IDW’s offering is diverse, sophisticated, and provocative. It has ranged from the political drama Robots in Disguise to Tom Scioli’s psychedelic Transformers vs G.I. Joe and the offbeat space opera More Than Meets The Eye. Continue reading…

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I never expected to be reading Archie comics. Archie Andrews’ irresistible appeal to ladies mystified me and I came late to an appreciation for soap operas and straight melodrama. Then there was residual stuff around romance, a punk rock hostility towards the wholesome squares, a dash of internalized sexism mixed with gender dysphoria and a general preference for anything with monsters or things that one could just not find very easily in the real world. I like my escapism pretty fantastic and unrealistic. I did use bits of Betty & Veronica Double Digest in the zine I organized for my college women’s center. But somehow I always end up reading and watching things I never expect to. I got curious about Archie. With Archie: The Married Life and the release of a standalone book for Archie’s out gay character, Kevin Keller, something was clearly up at Archie comics. Then Chris Sims recommended Archie: The Married Life at Comics Alliance and one of my favorite comics writers, Marc Andreyko, recommended it on Fresh Ink with Blair Butler saying, “I love that Archie is probably the most progressive mainstream publisher right now.”

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Every April at the Gutter, the editors write about something outside their usual domains. This month, Romance Editor Chris Szego writes about animated movies.

When I was a kid, cartoons were a real treat.I didn’t watch much TV, but Bugs Bunny
and friends were mandatory viewing.We watched the show as a family, mostly so my parents could reassure me
that yes, Wile E. Coyote would survive.Cartoons were fun, and special, and safe.You could break any kind of rule, even the law of gravity,
and things would be okay.

I still love animated stories, for that sense of wonder, crazy adventure, and safety. Though there’s less safety than there used to be. I’ve not yet ventured very far into anime (I don’t have the patience to watch 75 episodes of anything), but that still leaves a huge amount of choice. We’re in a great age for animated movies. Below are three of my current favourites, with a selection of reasons why.

How To Train Your Dragon (Dreamworks, 2010)

Inspired casting, stunning visuals and a nerd-makes-good
plot that pulls no punches made this one a winner.Didn’t hurt, either, that the 3D
effects were subtle and sparingly used; it’s one of only a few 3D movies that
didn’t leave me with a blinding headache.

Cool bits:

1. Astriiiiid… The catch in Hiccup’s voice (so ably played by
Jay Baruchel), when he names his crush. In the background, she does the ‘cool
girls walk away from explosions’ saunter. Excellent.

2. “It’s not what you look like;it’s what’s inside you he can’t stand.” Gobber says this to
Hiccup, as the latter tries to elucidate the vast communication gap between himself
and his father, Stoick.It’s a quote for the ages.

3. The moment Hiccup touches Toothless for the first time.The whole scene is fairy-tale
beautiful; the music is lovely; the pacing excellent… but when Hiccup reaches
out his hand, the scene ascends. It’s an act of monumental bravery. Someone has to be the first to reach out, and this time, it’s Hiccup.

4. The learning montage.As Hiccup and Toothless learn how to fly, they also learn about each
other, and we get to see those lessons applied immediately.What could have been a tedious cliche is made immediately relevant.

5. Hiccup wakes up. After the final battle, Hiccup wakes up at home. When he sits up, we know from his face that something’s wrong. When he swings his legs out bed, the camera reveals that one is missing. You can battle destruction
and win, this scene says, but you don’t escape unscathed.But as Hiccup stands, stumbles, and
proves, you can also be content to pay that price.

Spirited Away (Studio Ghibli, 2001)

This first Miyazaki movie I saw, and still my
favourite.The lush scenery!The gorgeous colours!The careful mix of humour and hard
work!I watch the movie in Japanese first, then again in English, and am always amazed at how well the casting directors matched the pitch, timbre and tone of the voices.

Cool Bits

1. Snack time. After Chihiro’s first day in the bathhouse, Haku gives her
something to eat.They sit out in
a glorious garden, while she eats, and cries. And keeps eating.It rang utterly true. The riotously beautiful flowers make the scene all the more moving.

2. The bathhouse. At night, it’s a box of precious jewels, both inside and out. The next morning Chihiro descends through the whole structure, from the bright colours of the upper levels to the dark, rusty, hardworking core. Whether it’s a metaphor or just a scene, it’s extraordinary.

3. The re-enactment. In the boiler room, the transfigured baby re-enacts the breaking of the curse with the soot spirits. It foregrounds a moment of humour and charm, while in the background, Kamaji and Chihiro discuss how to save Haku. An astonishing balancing act.

4. The train. The train takes them on a dreamy journey, full of semi-translucent but determined passengers; unanswered questions (what’s an Irish crofter’s cottage doing there?); and stunning scenery. All those stories are happening at the same time, but the only one we’ll ever know is Chihiro’s.

5. Haku restored. Part dragon, part wolf, the healed Haku is a magnificent figure. Power, might, and majesty… and yet, still Chihiro’s friend.

Toy Story 3 (Pixar, 2010)

I can’t think of another franchise that has exceeded
itself with every addition to the degree Toy Story manages.The third film in this set is an emotional
powerhouse – even more so because we’ve seen the characters so many times
before.Like Woody and friends,
we’ve seen Andy grow up.

Cool Bits:

1. Totoro!It’s a small moment but a very happy one
for fans of Miyazaki (of which, of course, Pixar head honcho John Lasseter is
one). Bonnie, at whose house Woody spends an unexpected and wonderful night, has a giant plush Totoro…that comes alive! Want!

2. The great escape.I love outrageous schemes that involve playacting and a myriad of props.Any plan that requires that many moving parts and a tortilla is fine by me.As an added bonus, they tape up
that creepy cymbal monkey. Go, toys!

3. The incinerator.The toys are in serious peril, and they know it.I was geuinely afraid for them (though I’ll admit; I’m easily scared). As their world is about to end in fire, they hold hands, which makes the scene both frightening and heartfelt.

4. Andy’s mom.Near the end of the movie, Andy’s mom steps into his nearly empty room.“Ohh,” she says softly, taking in the coming absence, and every adult
in the theatre echoed her.It’s a
quiet and perfect expression of a profound moment in a parent’s life.

5. Andy. At the end, Andy gives Bonnie his toys. But when she reaches for Woody, he pulls
the cowboy back in pure primal
reflex. But eventually, he extends his arm again, a slow and generous return that signals his
burgeoning maturity. Poignant and perfect.

~~~

Chris Szego would happily live in the landscape Miyazaki created for Howl’s Moving Castle.

(Hey, guys, the comments form is down. We’re moving the
site to a new blogging platform and hopefully won’t have these troubles
anymore. In the meantime, shoot us an email at everyone AT
theculturalgutter.com or come on over and see us on Facebook, Twitter or Tumblr.)

I wrote up a short list of the main female characters that appear both on the show and in the comic to decipher the differences in how these women are written. These descriptions contain spoilers through season five of the TV show, because it’s impossible to write about The Walking Dead without talking about how people die all the time.”

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Vixen Varsity shares Olufemi Lee-Johnson’s tribute to Milestone Media and Dwayne McDuffie. “For the first time in my life, I was around comic writers of color telling stories that mirror or surpassed the storylines of America’s favorite heroes. Icon dealt with being the ultimate immigrant and not understanding current black culture. Rocket (Raquel Irvin) was his guide, but also aspired to be more than just a woman in the projects. Static (Virgil Hawkins) was just a normal teenager dealing with fitting into school and then was put into this extraordinary circumstance of being a hero. Hardware (Curtis Metcalf) wanted respect from his mentor, but later learned about the bigger picture when it came to being a hero and the characters from Blood Syndicate…they were just trying to make it day by day and maintain their respect as a gang.”

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At Soundcheck, John Schaefer talks with Jim Jarmusch about “making music for someone else’s films, and a penchant for walking the tightrope between narrative and abstract art in his own movies. And if you thought his C.V. was looking a little thin, Jarmusch is also working on an upcoming opera about the Serbian-American inventor Nikola Tesla, with Robert Wilson and composer Phil Kline.” (Thanks, Kate!)